Philadelphia Civic Engagement
Coordinator Job Description 

Reports to: Director of Civic Engagement 

PennFuture’s mission is to lead the transition to a clean energy economy in Pennsylvania and beyond. We protect our air, water, and land, and empower residents to build sustainable communities for future generations. Working throughout the Commonwealth, PennFuture’s team of attorneys, policy experts, organizers, communications specialists, and advocates watchdog against polluters and environmental injustices, educate the public, and advance pro-environment policies.

Description 

Our Philadelphia Civic Engagement Coordinator is primarily responsible for building a sustainable volunteer advocacy program and managing local partnerships in Philadelphia. The Coordinator will report to the Director of Civic Engagement and will serve as the principal point of contact for local activists, volunteers, partner organizations, and elected officials. The Coordinator’s work will include working to recruit and train volunteer environmental advocates, drive local policy changes, create and deepen partnerships, connect local environmental partners to advocacy support, and be a trustworthy environmental resource in the region. 

The core issue focus for this position is illegal dumping. This position will work with partners and activists to advocate for increased funding, enforcement, and abatement of illegal dumping in Philadelphia.The Coordinator will leverage a suite of community engagement tactics to build volunteer teams, including petitions, events, tabling, speaking engagements, and other in-person and online advocacy tools. The power built through these engagement tactics will be aimed toward advancing an advocacy strategy to increase city-wide investment in illegal dumping enforcement and prevention, alongside other issues as necessary. The Philadelphia Civic Engagement Coordinator will be responsible for lifting up the work of BIPOC allies and organizations in their region and ensuring that issues important to the communities most impacted by climate change and pollution are centered in their work. 

The position is non-political, non-partisan, and full-time exempt at PennFuture, a 501(c)3 environmental advocacy organization in Pennsylvania. The Coordinator will also conduct work for our allies at Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania (CVPA) from time to time.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND JUSTICE: 

PennFuture knows that to achieve our mission, we need to ensure that all Pennsylvanians have equitable access to clean air, clean water, a stable climate, and a clean and sustainable economy. We are committed to ensuring diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in our organizational culture, policies, practices, and programs. Like the environmental and conservation movement writ large, we have historically fallen short in our efforts to build a truly equitable Pennsylvania. Our vision is to center equity and justice in everything we do as well as to combat systems of oppression and injustices that have long harmed Pennsylvania’s environmental justice communities.

Position Responsibilities

Community Building 

• Manage regional volunteer recruitment and engagement to advance policy and advocacy goals towards addressing illegal dumping in Philadelphia.
• Represent PennFuture with local environmental and activist groups.
• Identify ways to use PennFuture resources to support the work of local environmental and activist groups, particularly BIPOC-led and serving groups. 
• Utilize those relationships to expand PennFuture’s visibility in the region, to build political power, and to win environmental fights. 
• Implement grassroots tactics to engage prospective volunteers and help to transition them into volunteer leaders. 
• Run C3 voter education and turnout programs, including but not limited to canvassing, phonebanking, and textbanking. 
• Recruit advocates to become involved with election volunteering, such as poll workers, election protection work, and more.
• Mobilize and train volunteer advocates in key legislative districts. 
• Become a leader in local advocacy and local coalitions, always advocating for diverse representation in all groups. 

Policy 

• Develop working knowledge of local, city, and state level intersectional environmental policy issues. 
• Collaborate with PennFuture’s legal team to support ongoing legal initiatives in the region, particularly around illegal dumping 
• Host and recruit for educational forums and events to educate our activists about key environmental and democracy policy issues, focused primarily on illegal dumping.
• Facilitate connections between constituents with their city council officials.

Communications 

• Work with digital staff to use email lists and social media tools in their region. 
• Create regionalized social media content that helps uplift local grassroots and community advocacy work, including taking photos and recording videos that would sometimes feature the coordinator.
• Monitor and update local social media presence and engage with local groups, activists and prospective volunteers. 
• Work with PennFuture colleagues to develop action alerts and press releases as needed based on issues related to their region. 

Fundraising 

• Identify prospective top-tier donors among the volunteer pool to introduce to Development staff. 
• Collaborate with appropriate staff on grant reports and renewals as needed.
• Work with the Director of Civic Engagement to find new and creative ways of working with marginalized communities through our own grant funding.

The following skills are required for the successful applicant: 

• Strong commitment to PennFuture’s mission. 
• Minimum 1-2 years of relevant experience, including field or community organizing, political campaign work, or issue advocacy campaigning. 
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and connect with people. 
• Demonstrated commitment to PennFuture’s racial justice and equity initiatives by fostering relationships with BIPOC and environmental justice allies while embodying cultural competencies that reflect a nuanced understanding of racial justice and institutional inequity. 
• Collaborative spirit. Must be a dependable team player. 
• Strong written and oral communication skills. 
• Ability to travel and maintain a flexible work schedule; be willing to work some evenings and/or weekends, as needed.

The following skills and experience are preferred for the successful applicant: 

• Experience working with stakeholders, advocacy organizations, and candidates.
• Excellent personal organization and time management skills. 
• Fluency in multiple languages. 
• Strong understanding of regional environmental issues in Philadelphia. 

Position Requirements: This is a full-time position based in the city of Philadelphia. Evening and weekend hours are required, along with significant travel throughout the region. Applicants must have reliable access to transportation. Reimbursement for mileage and/or required travel-related expenses will be reimbursed pursuant to PennFuture policy and as required by applicable law. 

LOCATION, SALARY, AND BENEFITS:

This is a hybrid position based out of Philadelphia. PennFuture has shifted to a hybrid work model with staff working from home as well as working in an office and/or in the field.

This is a full-time, exempt position. Salary is between $50,000 - 55,000. Benefits package includes health care, dental, vision, 12 paid holidays, 2 weeks paid sick leave, 5 weeks paid vacation, and a 403(b)-retirement plan.

PennFuture encourages applications from individuals underrepresented in the environmental community, including people of color, and persons with nontraditional work and educational experience. All applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, national origin, marital status, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, or political affiliation.